Automatic extinguisher for candles and the like

ABSTRACT

A fuel body container has two sources of stored energy controlled by consumption of the fuel in the fuel body to operate a mechanism to terminate consumption of the fuel. One of the sources of stored energy is a resilient member and the other is a storage tank of compressed air. The control mechanism is a rack and pawl system in which the rack is propelled by the resilient member.

United States Patent 1191 Patriklos 1 Sept. 16, 1975 AUTOMATIC EXTINGUISHER FOR 321.133 9/1934 Italy 431/145 CANDLES AND THE LIKE 105.155 10/1898 Germany 431/35 Inventor: Michael J. Patrikios, Old Saugatuck Rd.. Norwalk, Conn. 06855 Filed: Aug. 15, 1973 Appl. No.: 388,577

U.S. Cl. 431/35; 431/145; 431/290 Int. Cl. F23n 5/00 Field at Search 43l/33-35,

Primary Examiner-Carroll B. Dority. Jr.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures AUTOMATIC EXTINGUISHER FOR CANDLES AND THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to votive lamps frequently used in churches more particularly than it relates to any other field. The invention does have broader application and is not limited to votive lamps and candles.

As measured by the length of time of civilization, candles have recently been replaced by gas and then more recently electric lights. Most likely, the churches originally used candles in religious ceremonies for functional reasons. Such use doubtlessly acquired a spiritual function. Because of this background churches are reluctant to replace candles with more modern sources of light for certain Observances.

Votive lamps which contain candles were, prior to the present invention, subject to certain disadvantages. The greatest disadvantage is the degree of maintenance which the votive lamps with candles require. An attendant must come on a regular basis to remove the remnants of the burnt candles, clean the containers of wax drippings, carbon deposits and metal bases, and place fresh candles in the lamps. In many churches there are literally hundreds of such votive lamps. Clearly, such janitorial work is tedious and expensive, especially, when compared to the cost of candles.

One solution to these problems is to prolong the effective burning life of the candles thereby greatly reducing the degree of maintenance required. Present practice in churches is to allow the votive candle to burn itself out long after the user of the candle has left the church. Because of the religious significance of the ceremony no subsequent worshipper will use a burning candle started by another. Because of the cost, few churches employ a custodian to extinguish the candles after the worshipper has left. Allowing the candles to burn themselves out, frequently, leads to fracturing of the votive lamps, in part, because of the metal wick tags.

Prior art solutions to these problems are typified by US. Pat. Nos. 1,289,874; 2,158,744; and 2,792,699. None of the inventions shown in those patents address themselves to the problems previously described. Each require the direct intervention ofa person to extinguish the candle. Each utilizes a stream of air to extinguish the candle, but none teaches any mechanism for controlling the flow of any liquid wax which is present during burning and none teaches the controlling of the extinguishing automatically.

Possibly because no solution was found for successfully automatically extinguishing candles, attention was turned to automatically extinguishing simulated candles. These approaches are represented by US. Pat. Nos. 2,499,ll8 and 3,204,433.

The solution proposed by these patents require the use of electrical energy to drive a motor and some kind of a time keeping mechanism to control the period of burning. While these solutions are workable they have limitations. They require expensive external mechanisms; they are not usable on candles; they are not selfcontrolled; and, they do not create the same spiritual atmosphere as that created by candles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the problems present in the prior art. The present invention teaches a selftimed, self-actuated, and self-rearmed system for extinguishing candles on a pre-determined cycle.

The present invention teaches a system for controlling the buming cycle of a candle or other device with a fuel body which has two sources of stored energy for operating the control system and for operating the extinguishing mechanism.

The present invention teaches the use of a source of compressed fluid, usually air, controlled by the mass or weight of a consumable fuel to extinguish one or more fuel bodies independently of each other.

The present invention teaches the use of a rack and pawl mechanism biased in one direction and counteracted by the weight of the consumable fuel body in the other direction to control the burning cycle of the fuel body.

Itis an object of the present invention to provide a novel mechanism which is fully self-controlled to control the burning cycle of a candle or other fuel body mechanism.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel mechanism for controlling the burning cycle of a candle which utilizes two sources of stored energy to actuate and control the candle extinguishing mechanism.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel candle extinguishing mechanism which utilizes a compressed fluid, including compressed air, as a source of stored energy.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel mechanism for terminating the burning cycle of a plurality of candles in which each candle is independently controlled.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel candle extinguishing mechanism which is easy to operate, economical to manufacture and dependable.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel candle extinguishing mechanism which will greatly reduce the frequency of maintenance and the cost of maintaining votive lamps.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel mechanism for allowing a votive candle to burn for a pre-determined length of time and then for terminating the burning.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the embodiment of the present invention, partially broken away and in section to show the various operating parts.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a second embodiment of the present invention partially broken away and in section.

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention in plan view partially broken away and in section.

DESCRIPT ION OF THE INVENTION Turning now to FIG. 1 there is shown therein a candle l burning with a flame l 1. As the candle l (or other fuel body) is consumed, a resilient member or spring 3 propels the candle 1 toward the mouth 20 of a sleeve member 14 having a tapered shoulder 12 to prevent the candle from being propelled out of the sleeve 14 by the spring 3.

A base member of pressure block 2 is disposed intermediate of the candle l and the spring 3.

Connected to block 2 is a rear gear 4 having teeth 40. The rear gear 4 moves with the pressure block actuating pawl member 15 which engages teeth 4a. The rack and pawl control the power generated by the spring.

Three way switch or valve member 5 is actuated by pawl to control the flow of compressed air stored in tank 7 (having pressure valve 6 and meter 64).

Sleeve member 12 has an air or fluid passageway 9 which communicates with valve 5 by line 90, with subtank 8 by line 9b and with main tank 7 by line 9c.

Valve 5 either allows lines 9b and 90 to communicate (which is known as position 1) and blocks line 90 or it allows lines 9a and 9b to communicate and blocks line 9c (which is known as position 2). In position 1 main tank charges the sub-tank and in position 2 sub-tank 8 is blowing out flame 11. The length of time in which the candle burns is controlled by the separation of gear teeth 4a on the rack 4.

Turning now to P10. 2 where parts similar to those in FIG. 1 have the same number in the hundred series, i.e., part 90 and 109a perform similar functions. A pulsar 16 has a piston 17 with a passageway 18 formed therein. Piston 17 is biased in one direction by resilient spring element 19.

When valve 105 allows lines 1096 and l09b to communicate while blocking line 20, fluid flows into pulsar 16 under pressure and drives piston 17 against wall 16a of pulsar 16 closing pulsar 16 after allowing enough fluid through passageway 18 to extinguish the candle. Further activation of valve 105 closes line 109c and allows lines 1091) and to communicate releasing the pressure inside pulsar l6 and allowing piston 17 to return to its original position for the next cycle.

Turning now to FIG. 3, flapper valve 50 has a sail surface 51 and is mounted for rotation about pin 52.

Fluid pressure either from a pulsar 16 as shown in FIG. 2 or sub-tank 8 as shown in FIG. 1 will actuate flapper valve 50 to extinguish flame 11.

In viewing the present invention properly, it should be appreciated that springs 3 and 19 are simply devices for storing energy. Further tanks 7 and 8 are devices for storing energy also.

ln developing these more general descriptions the rack 4 with teeth 4a is a device for converting (transforming) motion in one direction (vertical in the drawing) to another (horizontal in the drawing).

Similarly, the valve members 5, 105, 205 control the conversion of mechanical energy in one form (motion of a valve) to another form (motion of a compressed gas). Thus valve members 5, 105, 205 may be thought of as a transformer, converter or transducer.

In applying this general language, for example, to FIG. 1, Spring 3 is a first stored energy device. Tanks 7 and 8 are second and third energy devices. The power control mechanism is the rack, 4, the teeth, 40, and the pawl member 15 biased by valve 5. Inspection shows that pawl 15 is biased by valve 5 into seating in teeth 4a. Thus the Candle 1 may be extinguished a number of times dependent on the length of the candle 1 and the number of teeth 4a. The valve 5, 105, 205, is a commercially available device which functions to bias the respective pawl member 15, 115, 215 in position.

Pulsar 16 is a valve mechanism having spring member 19 (a source of stored energy) in tension while the candle is burning and relaxed when line 20 is open to the atmosphere. Spring member 19 actuates piston or valve member 17.

It can be easily seen that the present invention accomplishes all of its stated objects. Naturally, the present invention is not limited to the precise use or detail shown in the present specification.

I claim:

1. In a fuel body containing mechanism the combination comprising:

consumable fuel body means having a mass;

a movable fuel body base means;

an outer sleeve means supporting said fuel body means and open at one end;

power control means connected to said base means;

extinguishing means operable by said control means to extinguish said fuel body means in response to a pre-determined degree of consumption of said mass of said consumable fuel body means;

said power control means operative to actuate said extinguishing means a plurality of times automatically.

2. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said control means has operatively connected thereto and controlling thereby a fluid supply containing means; and,

said control means causes the dispensation of a metered quantity of said fluid contained in said fluid supply means.

3. The device claimed in claim 2 wherein:

said sleeve means has a passageway formed therein for permitting the flow therethrough of a fluid extinguishing means.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein said power and control means comprises:

first and second stored energy means;

automatically resettable cycling member interconnecting the first and second stored energy means; and,

said cycling member responsive to the change in mass of said fuel body means to cause the operation of said extinguishing means.

5. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said fuel body means comprises a candle;

said sleeve means has a tapered shoulder to retain said candle in said sleeve and to retain the liquidus segment of the candle during combustion.

6. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein said power control means comprises:

a two position air valve member operable to control said extinguishing means.

7. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein said extinguishing means comprises:

a resettable flapper member having a vane section;

a fluid containing member holding a fluid under pressure;

a valve member to control the flow of fluid; and,

.said power control means is operable to open said valve member to cause fluid to flow acting against said vane section of said resettable flapper causing said flapper to terminate combustion.

8. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said power control means comprises;

a first source of stored energy;

a first transformer mechanism to convert said stored energy to kinetic energy;

a second source of stored energy controlled by said transformer mechanism;

a second transformer mechanism;

6 10. The device claimed in claim 8 wherein said third source of stored energy comprises:

a cylinder member;

a valve member movable in said cylinder member;

a resilient member biasing said valve member;

said valve member has a passageway formed therethrough;

said second transformer member controls said valve member which in turn controls a metered amount of energy through said cylinder member to extinguish said fuel body means.

l i III I 

1. In a fuel body containing mechanism the combination comprising: consumable fuel body means having a mass; a movable fuel body base means; an outer sleeve means supporting said fuel body means and open at one end; power control means connected to said base means; extinguishing means operable by said control means to extinguish said fuel body means in response to a pre-determined degree of consumption of said mass of said consumable fuel body means; said power control means operative to actuate said extinguishing means a plurality of times automatically.
 2. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein: said control means has operatively connected thereto and controlling thereby a fluid supply containing means; and, said control means causes the dispensation of a metered quantity of said fluid contained in said fluid supply means.
 3. The device claimed in claim 2 wherein: said sleeve means has a passageway formed therein for permitting the flow therethrough of a fluid extinguishing means.
 4. The device according to claim 1 wherein said power and control means compriSes: first and second stored energy means; automatically resettable cycling member interconnecting the first and second stored energy means; and, said cycling member responsive to the change in mass of said fuel body means to cause the operation of said extinguishing means.
 5. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein: said fuel body means comprises a candle; said sleeve means has a tapered shoulder to retain said candle in said sleeve and to retain the liquidus segment of the candle during combustion.
 6. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein said power control means comprises: a two position air valve member operable to control said extinguishing means.
 7. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein said extinguishing means comprises: a resettable flapper member having a vane section; a fluid containing member holding a fluid under pressure; a valve member to control the flow of fluid; and, said power control means is operable to open said valve member to cause fluid to flow acting against said vane section of said resettable flapper causing said flapper to terminate combustion.
 8. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein: said power control means comprises; a first source of stored energy; a first transformer mechanism to convert said stored energy to kinetic energy; a second source of stored energy controlled by said transformer mechanism; a second transformer mechanism; a third source of stored energy storing metered amounts of energy obtained from said second source of stored energy; and, the combustion of the mass of said fuel body means actuates said first transformer mechanism which in turn actuates said second transformer mechanism to extinguish said fuel body means.
 9. The device claimed in claim 8 wherein: said second transformer mechanism comprises a two position valve member; and, said first transformer mechanism comprises a rack and pinion mechanism which actuates said two position valve member.
 10. The device claimed in claim 8 wherein said third source of stored energy comprises: a cylinder member; a valve member movable in said cylinder member; a resilient member biasing said valve member; said valve member has a passageway formed therethrough; said second transformer member controls said valve member which in turn controls a metered amount of energy through said cylinder member to extinguish said fuel body means. 